John koch



(No Model.)

J. KOCH.

REFRIGERATOR.

N0. 320,802. Patented June-Z3, 1885.

Wj W INVENTDH, 7

WITNESSES. fiwaff J/zzw 6% a 251%,

ATTURN'EYEL- n. PETERS. momma Wnhinflm. u. c.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KOCH, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No.320,802, dated June 23, 1885. Application filed March 19. 1885. (No model.)

To aZl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN Kocn, a resident of Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to refrigerators or cold storage-safes for holding fresh meat, and is designed specially for use in retail butcher-shops for the storage of fresh killed meat received from the slaughter-houses; and it consists of a box or safe containing, first, a compartment for storing the large pieces of meat-such as the shoulders, quarters, and sides of the animal pending the operation of being cut up into smaller pieces for sale; second, a compartment for hanging up the cuts of meat arranged in such a manner that they are exposed to the view of the customers and can be easily removed by the salesman without allowing the cold air to escape from the refrigerator; third, an ice-box between the aforesaid compartments, so arranged that a continuous circulation of cold air is maintained throughout each of the aforesaid compartments without the aid of mechanical means fourth, a compartment for storing hams, cheese, and similar articles, in which the temperature is not as low as in the fresh-meat section; and, fifth, it further consists in certain details of construction, which will hereinafter be more fully described, and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the refrigerator or meat-safe; Fig. 2, a horizontal section.

The letter 0 represents a rectangular case or box constructed, preferably,with hollow walls of boards plowed and tongued together, having the space between the outer and inner lining filled with sawdust, charcoal, or other suitable material. I) is the inner lining. b is the outside lining; b, the filling.

B is a compartment situated in the back part of the safe for storing or hanging up the large portions of the meatsuch as the quarters and sides-previous to being cut up into smaller pieces for sale.

0 c are strips attached to the inner wall, to which are fastened hooks f f for hanging up the meat.

Eis an outside door.

A is a compartment, situated in the front part of the refrigerator, for holding the cuts of steak and other portions of meat that has been cut up in quantities to suit customers. The inner walls of this compartment are also provided with meat-hooks f f tohang up the meat.

D are doors, in two folds, provided with glass panels, so that the contents of the compartment can be seen from the outside of the refrigerator. the ice used for refrigerating purposes. It is constructed with two vertical cross-walls, E E, which extend nearly to the top or ceiling of the refrigerator, and has a slanting bottom, It, to allow the water to run out of the chest. The rear wall, E, is constructed with an open space, 0, at the bottom, provided with slats or bars a a, extending across the ice'chamber to hold the ice in place. These bars are removable for convenience in packing ice in the lower portion of the ice chamber from the compartment B.

M is a sliding door working vertically in grooved strips 6 e, secured to the walls of the refrigerator. The object of this slide is to regulate the amount of ice-surface exposed to the air in the compartment B,and to control the pressure or flow of cold air from the ice-chamber into the compartment.

G is an air-flue or passageway from one compartment to the other, extending across the refrigerator under the ice-box.

H is a hinged or pivoted drop-door con nected with the front doors, D, of the refrigerator by means of a chain or rope, d, worklng over a small pulley, g, and is operated by the movement of the doors. When they are closed, the door H rests upon the bottom of the flue G, and allows a free circulation of air around the ice-chamber, and when either of the front doors is opened the door or flap H rises up, as shown by the dotted lines, and closes the flue, thus preventing the warm air of the room or shop from entering the large compartment B and raising the temperature, as it would do F is an ice-chamber for holding to the injury of the contents if the front door was opened frequently or kept open any con siderable length of time to wait on the customers.

K is a compartment for storing hams, cheese, and analogous articles that do not require to be kept in as cold an atmosphere as fresh meat. This compartment extends across the chest under the compartment A and the ice-box F, and is preferably inclosed with one thickness of boards h. Access is obtained to the same by means of a door, N, in front of the safe.

L is a door in the side of the safe, near the top, for convenience in filling the top portions of the ice-box.

The circulation of air in the safe is thought to be as follows: The warm air at the top of the safe, coming in contact with the surface of the ice in the top of the ice-chamber, quickly condenses, and, being heavier than the warm air, passes down through the crevices between the lumps of ice and out through the barred space 0, into the compartment B, and around through the flue G, where it forces the warmer or lighter air upward to the top of the safe, as indicated by the arrows on the drawings, thus keeping up a continuous circulation of air throughout the Various compartments, which tends to keep it at one temperature.

The principal advantages of a refrigerator of thiskind are: first, it provides a convenient cool place to hang up the large pieces of meat which heretofore had to be placed on the counter or meat-bench and covered up until wanted, second, it provides a convenient cool place to hang the cuts of meat, where the flies cannot get at them, and at the same time expose the meat to the view of the customer; third, the construction is such that the contents of the refrigerator can be removed without admitting the warm air of the shop to any appreciable degree; fourth, the arrangement of the various compartments is such that a large area can be kept cool with a smaller quantity of ice than by any other mode that I am ac- 5 quainted with.

Having described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A refrigerator or meat-safe embodying in its construction a compartment, 13, for the storage of large pieces of fresh meat, a compartment, A, for keeping small cuts of meat arranged to expose the meat to public View, and an ice-chamber, F, situated between the 5 two compartments, substantially as herein shown, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the ice-chamber F, constructed with a barred space, 0, of the sliding door M, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the refrigerator having chambers B F K, and slanting passage G, between the chambers K and F, communicating with the chamber B, of the doors H and D, connected by a cord, d, passing over the pulley 9, whereby the two doors are simultaneously operated, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the refrigerator having the chambers E B, connecting-passage G, and door H, of the door D, having glazed openings and connected to the door H by means of cords passing over pulleys, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a refrigerator or meat-safe, the combination of the compartments A and B, icechamber F, flue G, and compartment K, arranged and combined substantially as herein shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN KOCH. Witnesses:

J OHN W. BROWNING, CHAS. O. HOOK. 

